Not Alone

Chapter 7


Abby was shocked at Carter's presence. There are only two people that know where I am, Susan and my mom. One of them must have said something, she thought to herself.

"John," was the only thing that she could say to him as she walked away from him. He followed her inside. "I know you didn't want me to find you, but I had to."

Abby turned around. "Why couldn't you listen to me then? I told you I needed time to myself to sort stuff out," she said, as she walked away from him and sat down on the bed. Suddenly she turned around. "How did you find me anyhow?"

He hesitated a moment. "Susan told me."

Carter walked up to her and sat down. "I know you didn't want me to find you, but I had to see if I could find out what wrong, and see if maybe I could help."

Abby looked at Carter. "You are always going to want to fix me. That's all you've ever wanted to do with me."

"That's not what I meant, Abby, and you know it. I love you, Abby. I just want to help you."

Abby looked at Carter in disbelief and she couldn't believe what he just said. She couldn't deal with it, not right now. "Just go Carter, I don't want or need you here," she shouted, as she walked into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Carter looked at Abby shocked. He didn't know what he did wrong. I know that she didn't want me to find her, but I had to. She's the best thing in my life, and I don't want to lose her, he thought to himself.

He knocked on the bathroom door. "Abby, open the door, we need to talk, whatever is bugging you, I want to help. Is it something to do with your family?"

"Go, John, now!!"


**

An hour later,

Abby finally got out of the bathroom and saw that Carter was gone. She couldn't believe it. He really left. What I have done now? she thought to herself.

She walked out of the room to see if maybe his car was there, but the only car that was in the parking lot was hers.

"John, I do love you. That is the reason I can't be with you," she whispered to herself, as she walked back into the hotel room. Suddenly Abby saw something on the bed; it was a letter with her name on it. She sat down on the bed and opened it up.

Dear Abby,

I'm sorry that I came to find you when you told me that you needed some time on your own. I know now that I shouldn't have done that. You will come back to
Chicago and to me if you want to, but I can't make you.

You are really important to me, Abby. These past few months have been great with you. I don't know why you thought you had to leave, but there must have been a reason.

I will always love you, Abby Lockhart.

Love,

John

Abby put down the letter; she couldn't believe what he wrote. Suddenly tears started to fall down on her cheek, she was more confused now than ever.



**

I don't want or need you here.

Carter kept on going over his conversation with Abby in his head as he was driving back to Chicago.

Why could I just leave everything alone and not go try to find her, Carter thought to himself, but he knew the reason that he went. He loved her, and he wanted her to come home with him.


Suddenly his cell phone rang. Since he was barely able to concentrate enough to keep the car on the road right now, he decided it would be best to pull over onto the shoulder while he talked. He prayed it wasn't someone important. He didn't know how long he would be able to keep himself together before he broke down.

 
"Hello?" he said.

"Hey John, its Susan. So did you find Abby and did you get her to come home?" she asked, excited.

"I found her, and we talked, but she didn't really want me there, and there was no way that I could get her to come back with me. I didn't even get that far to ask her."

Susan sighed. "Why didn't you ask her to come back to Chicago with you? I know you love her."

"Susan this has nothing to do with whether I love her or not. She told me to leave her alone, so I don't think she would have listened if I asked her to come back with me," Carter explained.

"But John, you should have stayed there and talked to her more. I'm sure you could have convinced her to come home with you."

"Why would I stay if she didn't want me?"

"Abby doesn't even really know why she left town. I know that she still loves you, John. I don't think that is the reason that she left," Susan said.

"What is the reason then?"

"I don't know, Carter."

"Susan, I know you are trying to help, but there is nothing that I can do now. I have to go."

"Everything is going to work out." Susan said.

"I hope so" Carter mumbled under his breath. He then hung up the phone. He just wished that he could had talked to Abby some more and figured out exactly why she left town. But there was nothing he could do now expect go back to Chicago and just hope that she returned home soon.

If not I lost the only woman that I could ever truly love.


**

Later that night,


Back at the hotel,

Abby was lying on the bed thinking about Carter and everything that happened. She never thought that Carter would come and find her and tell her that he loved her. It was going to be harder for her to break up with him, but she knew that she had to do it sooner or later, and she'd prefer sooner.

This is going to be better for you if you aren't with me, Abby whispered to herself. She rolled over and saw Carter's letter sitting on the bed. She reached over and picked it up, staring at the one sentence that made her melt.

I'll always love you Abby Lockhart


She started to cry and laid her head on the pillow. Softly she whispered to herself. "I will always love you too, John."

**
The next morning,

Abby walked into the diner, and Julie waved at her. "You want your usual?"

Abby smiled. "Do I come in here that often?" Julie laughed, as Abby put her jacket on the coat rack, and walked up to Julie.

"I wouldn't say you come in all the time. I guess when you work in a diner every day for so many years you get to know everybody's order."

A few seconds later, Julie came in with Abby's coffee. "Now, you been in town for a week or so, haven't you?"

Abby nodded.

"I'm sure that you haven't traveled much into town, so after my shift, I am going to show you what is best about Springfield!"

Abby smiled. "That is nice of you, but I am going back to Chicago."

To be continued!!